Coleus plant named ‘Balflamsira’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Coleus plant named ‘Balflamsira’, characterized by its dark greyed-red and deep yellow-green colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Solenostemonscutellarioides.

Variety denomination: ‘Balflamsira’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coleusplant botanically known as Solenostemon scutellarioides and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Balflamsira’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inGuadalupe, Calif. during September 2016. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Coleus cultivars with unique foliagecoloration and leaf shape, upright growth habit, and good sun tolerance.

The new Coleus cultivar was the result of a self-pollination ofCOLORBLAZE ROYALE APPLE BRANDY ‘ApBran’, not patented, characterized byits burgundy brown and chartreuse-colored foliage, and moderatelyvigorous, compact-upright growth habit. The new cultivar was selected asa single flowering plant within the progeny of the above statedself-pollination during August 2017 in a controlled environment inGuadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceAugust 2017 in Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true-to-type with all ofthe characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balflamsira’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Coleus plant:

-   -   1. Dark greyed-red and deep yellow-green colored foliage, and    -   2. Moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily infoliage color shades.

Of the many commercially available Coleus cultivars, the most similar incomparison to the new cultivar is FlameThrower Serrano ‘UF15-6-28’, U.S.Plant Pat. No. 30,970. However, in side by side comparisons, plants ofthe new cultivar differ from plants of ‘UF15-6-28’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a lighter shade of greyed-red        leaf color than plants of ‘UF15-6-28’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have more leaf margin lobes than        plants of ‘UF15-6-28’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a stem color that is mottled        with a greyed-red coloration unlike plants of ‘UF15-6-28’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, theoverall growth habit and typical foliage characteristics of the newcultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes thecolors of ‘Balflamsira’. The approximately 3-month-old plants were grownin 4.5-inch pots for 10 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill.Plants were given one pinch one week before transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth habit of‘Balflamsira’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of‘Balflamsira’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in January 2020 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately3-month-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown ina glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used incommercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in4.5-inch pots for 10 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plantswere given one pinch one week before transplant. Greenhouse temperatureswere maintained at approximately 67° F. to 72° F. (19° C. to 22° C.)during the day and approximately 64° F. to 66° F. (18° C. to 19° C.)during the night. Supplemental lighting was used. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Solenostemon scutellarioides    ‘Balflamsira’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female and male parent.—COLORBLAZE ROYALE APPLE BRANDY            ‘ApBran’.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 4 to 6 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 24            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 15.5 cm. Width: Approximately 26.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching not required but            improves basal branching. Quantity of lateral branches per            plant: Approximately 9.        -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Square in cross section.            Length of lateral branch: Approximately 7.5 cm. Diameter of            lateral branch at central internode: Approximately 5.0 mm.            Length of central internode of lateral branch: Approximately            1.0 cm. Texture: Dense minute pubescence. Color of young and            mature stems: 146C with mottling of 187A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:            Approximately 12. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem; leaf            blade is perpendicular to stem, and transitions to an obtuse            angle with age. Appearance: Matte. Shape: Elliptic. Margin:            Lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 9.0 cm. Width            of mature leaf: Approximately 3.3 cm. Texture of upper            surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of lower surface:            Sparsely pubescent with moderate pubescence on venation.            Pubescence color: A mixture of colorless, transparent and            187A. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 144A, with            irregular mottling 183A and 178A to 178B, mottling primarily            in center of leaf; venation coloration indistinguishable            from leaf lamina. Color of lower surface of young and mature            foliage: Closest to 147C with 187A at margins edges;            venation coloration indistinguishable from leaf lamina or            sometimes tinted with 187A. Color of upper surface of mature            foliage: 144A, with an irregular and heavy overlay of 183A            and 178A to 178B; venation coloration indistinguishable from            leaf lamina.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Width: Approximately            2.0 mm. Texture: Moderately pubescent. Pubescence color: A            mixture of colorless, transparent and 187A. Color: 146C with            mottling of 187A to 187B.-   Flowering description: To date, flower development has not been    observed on plants of the new Coleus.-   Disease and pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and    pests common to Coleus has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Coleus plant named‘Balflamsira’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.